Three held in double murder probe

Xi Zhou and Zhen Xing Yang had studied at Newcastle University

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a Chinese couple in Newcastle.

The mutilated bodies of Zhen Xing Yang and his girlfriend Xi Zhou, both 25, were found in their flat on 9 August.

The Chinese men, aged 22, 30 and 33, were arrested in raids in Newcastle and Morpeth in Northumberland on Thursday.

A man and a woman were held on suspicion of assisting an offender. A further 12 people were arrested over burglary or immigration offences.

All those arrested are described as Chinese nationals.

Det Supt Steve Wade, who is leading the investigation, said: "A series of arrests have been made in connection with the murder investigation.

"Searches at the address are currently being carried out and those arrested are being questioned throughout today.

Victim tortured

"It is early stages and we have a lot of work to do but this is a positive development.

"Both families have been informed of these developments."

The two raids in Newcastle's West End, in Dilston Road and Stanton Street, took place just streets away from the couple's flat in Croydon Road.

A raid also took place at a property in Bournmoor, County Durham.

The couple were found dead in separate bedrooms at the downstairs flat by friends.

Mr Yang was tortured for more than an hour before being stabbed to death.

Examinations also showed Miss Zhou may have been asphyxiated as well as stabbed during the attack.

The couple's cat was also drowned by their killers.

The last known sighting of either of the victims alive was a CCTV image showing Miss Zhou arriving home from work on 7 August.

Several witnesses reported seeing three men outside the couple's home an hour later.